This is most likely pure spin, but it's interesting spin.
'Clintons Want Bush Re-elected'
The decision by Bill and Hillary Clinton to keep a high profile going into next year's presidential campaign amounts to a "conscious effort" by the former first couple to make sure that no Democrat wins the White House in 2004.
That's the stunning assessment from political strategist Dick Morris, who said Thursday that the Clintons actually want to see Bush re-elected so he can retire just when Mrs. Clinton is ready to run for the White House herself in 2008.
"There is a conscious effort going on by the Clintons to distract attention from the current field of candidates," Morris told nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity. "They do not want a Democrat to win in '04."
"They want Bush to be re-elected," the former Clinton adviser explained. "And that way they want Hillary to be able to run for an open seat."
"If Bush lost and a Democrat were elected, then obviously [Hillary] would have to support him in '08," he noted.
"She couldn't run until 2012. She'd be 65 years old and would have been out of office for 12 years. It's kind of hard at that point to keep the bloom on the rose and be able to run."
Morris said that Bill Clinton wants to maintain his role as spokesman for the Democratic Party so he can "trivialize and minimize the Democratic candidates" and thereby keep the Oval Office open for Hillary.
Another indication that the former first couple would like to see their own party defeated in the next presidential election, said Morris, is the fact that "[Clinton's] big fund-raising guns have not signed up with any of these other guys."
Democratic strategist Susan Estrich offered partial support for Morris' theory last week, complaining that the Clintons were actually hurting other Democratic presidential candidates with their high-profile antics.
"The Clintons suck up every bit of the available air," the one-time Dukakis campaign manager observed. "Nothing is left for anyone else. They are big, too big. That's the problem."
"The 2004 candidates need a chance to get some attention," she added. "Could somebody please tell [the Clintons] to shut up?"
"
What is the possibility that the Clintons would rather have Pres. Bush win another term so that Hillary would have a better chance in 08 than work for the democratic party if that would mean she wouldn't have a chance at the White House.
I think it's quite possible that they would do it.
'Clintons Want Bush Re-elected'
The decision by Bill and Hillary Clinton to keep a high profile going into next year's presidential campaign amounts to a "conscious effort" by the former first couple to make sure that no Democrat wins the White House in 2004.
That's the stunning assessment from political strategist Dick Morris, who said Thursday that the Clintons actually want to see Bush re-elected so he can retire just when Mrs. Clinton is ready to run for the White House herself in 2008.
"There is a conscious effort going on by the Clintons to distract attention from the current field of candidates," Morris told nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity. "They do not want a Democrat to win in '04."
"They want Bush to be re-elected," the former Clinton adviser explained. "And that way they want Hillary to be able to run for an open seat."
"If Bush lost and a Democrat were elected, then obviously [Hillary] would have to support him in '08," he noted.
"She couldn't run until 2012. She'd be 65 years old and would have been out of office for 12 years. It's kind of hard at that point to keep the bloom on the rose and be able to run."
Morris said that Bill Clinton wants to maintain his role as spokesman for the Democratic Party so he can "trivialize and minimize the Democratic candidates" and thereby keep the Oval Office open for Hillary.
Another indication that the former first couple would like to see their own party defeated in the next presidential election, said Morris, is the fact that "[Clinton's] big fund-raising guns have not signed up with any of these other guys."
Democratic strategist Susan Estrich offered partial support for Morris' theory last week, complaining that the Clintons were actually hurting other Democratic presidential candidates with their high-profile antics.
"The Clintons suck up every bit of the available air," the one-time Dukakis campaign manager observed. "Nothing is left for anyone else. They are big, too big. That's the problem."
"The 2004 candidates need a chance to get some attention," she added. "Could somebody please tell [the Clintons] to shut up?"
"
What is the possibility that the Clintons would rather have Pres. Bush win another term so that Hillary would have a better chance in 08 than work for the democratic party if that would mean she wouldn't have a chance at the White House.
I think it's quite possible that they would do it.